Conversations with NYC Health + Hospitals
Transforming Residency Training at One of America’s Most Diverse Hospitals with VR and AI and a Whole Lot of Curiosity
If you want to know what excites a brand-new resident on Day 1 at NYC Health + Hospitals | Queens, you might think it is their white coat, their stethoscope, or maybe the cafeteria menu. But according to Dr. Vincent Rizzo, Chief of Medicine and Associate Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, the real question on everyone’s lips is:
“When do I get to try virtual reality?”
That is right. The hospital known for serving one of the most diverse patient populations in the country is also becoming known for something else: embracing VR and AI enabled training not as a novelty, but as a pillar of modern medical education.
And if you ask the people leading and experiencing the shift, they will tell you the same thing: it is nothing short of transformative.
How VR Simulation Training Helps Residents Prepare for Real World Care
NYC Health + Hospitals | Queens trains residents who treat patients from nearly every linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic background imaginable. For Dr. Barry Smith, Director of the Internal Medicine Simulation Program, realism is not optional.
“A goal of our program is to recreate reality in a safe space.”
But reality in Queens is beautifully complex. It is multilingual, multicultural, and full of clinical curveballs you simply cannot predict. Dr. Smith builds simulations to reflect these exact challenges including communication barriers and moments when a patient is not easily engaged.
This is where Lumeto’s immersive platform stepped in and unlocked something powerful.
VR and AI Language Capabilities That Improve Resident Communication Skills
“We have about five different languages that the AI platform uses,” Dr. Smith explains.
“With our diverse population, we can meet those communication challenges that occur when people do not have English as their first language or have broken English.”
Before residents meet a real patient who communicates differently, they have already practiced navigating that dynamic in VR. They rehearse clarity, empathy, and cultural awareness in a realistic environment.
This is simulation that honors the population it serves.
Data Driven Medical Training That Enhances Resident Performance
Residents may be dazzled by the VR headset, but faculty know the real magic is what happens after a scenario.
“At the end of each scenario, we are able to assess a learner’s performance with debriefing. In real time, the learner can learn what their expectations were and whether they met them,” Dr. Smith says.
“The debriefing aspect of the Lumeto platform has been huge for me as an educator.”
This is simulation that drives growth. It is immediate, specific, and consistent across every trainee.
Resident Testimonials on VR Training and Clinical Confidence
If faculty sound impressed, the residents sound energized. Their stories reveal exactly why VR and AI training is catching fire.
“These are things you cannot learn from a textbook”
Dr. Ramsha Durani, PGY2
Dr. Durani first heard about InvolveXR during her residency interview. It sounded futuristic and mysterious. But once she stepped into her first VR scenario, she understood the impact.
Her first simulation involved electrolyte imbalances and a cardiac arrest.
“These are the things you cannot just learn from a textbook. Real world can be really challenging, and InvolveXR was really helpful when challenges do not seem as intimidating because you have seen it in the simulation.”
She describes having a mental snapshot of the scenario that returns when things get chaotic on the wards.
“It feels like being in a video game but the stakes are real”
Dr. Fateh Rauf, PGY3
Dr. Rauf has used the VR platform since PGY1, especially for high stakes, low frequency events like cardiac arrests and ACLS protocols. VR gave him something the real hospital rarely does: room to make mistakes safely.
“Using the virtual reality platform really does feel like you are in a video game,” he says.
Gamification does not just make it fun. It makes learning stick.
“It builds your confidence because you have already lived the scenario”
Dr. MD Gulam Khan, Attending Physician
Dr. Khan trained at Queens and stayed on as an attending. He remembers when VR was first introduced.
“At first, I thought maybe it is like a gaming situation. But it was a totally new world for us.”
Practicing cardiac arrest management step by step in VR, and watching patient responses in real time, changed his confidence on the wards.
How VR Engages Residents and Strengthens Medical Education Culture
Residents are not the only ones energized. Dr. Rizzo sees how VR boosts engagement and even recruitment.
“Everyone wants to do it. And the more they do it, the more they want. It helps us recruit the best and the brightest physicians to our institution.”
What started as basic cardiac arrest simulations now supports quality improvement, new initiatives, and sophisticated clinical scenarios.
“Whenever we want to start a new initiative, we have a VR solution.”
This is what scalable innovation looks like.
Why VR and AI Will Shape the Future of Residency Training
Dr. Smith sums it up perfectly:
“We have had great success and we look forward to a continued partnership with Lumeto.”
From multilingual AI patient interactions to high acuity VR simulations and real time performance data, NYC Health + Hospitals | Queens is redefining residency training for large and diverse health systems.
This is VR for equity.
VR for confidence.
VR for preparedness.
VR for better patient care.
And the residents are proof that it works.